A meeting with highly insightful discussions on the agri-food sector took place on Thursday, February 20, at Agora Open Farm in Rentis. Specifically, within the framework of the networking event of the acceleration program “AgroAnelixi – Farmers of the Future,” implemented by the organization New Agriculture New Generation, executives and professionals from the agri-food sector, program beneficiaries, and journalists participated.
The event began with a short welcome speech and a presentation of the program by Ms. Effie Lazaridou, CEO of New Agriculture New Generation, while the coordination was undertaken by Mr. Stavros Papadopoulos, Entrepreneurship Development Manager of the same organization.
Two panel discussions were held during the event.
The first panel focused on Agricultural Cooperatives, their needs, and the challenges they face. The panel included:
- Ms. Stella Avgoustaki, Journalist, Notice Content and Services,
- Mr. Giorgos Apostolopoulos, Lawyer, GDPR Specialist and Head of the GDPR Business Team,
- Ms. Eirini Spanouli, Economist, Founder of the “Karpologio” Producers’ Group,
- and Mr. Nikos Gousios, Vice President of the “O Enippeas” Agricultural Cooperative of the Farsala Region.
Through the discussion, the role of modern cooperatives in developing the agri-food ecosystem was highlighted, while a particularly productive dialogue took place on the strategies and practices they must adopt to adapt to contemporary challenges.
Next, the second panel discussion followed, titled “The Benefits of Processing in the Primary Sector, Innovation, and Extroversion.” The panel included:
- Mr. Giannis Panagos, Journalist, Agrenda,
- Mr. Panagiotis Stamatopoulos, Agronomist – Producer,
- Mr. Nikolaos Rachoutis, Producer – Founder of Emmelia,
- Ms. Xenia Galetsi, Producer – Founder of Megas Karpos,
- and Ms. Maria-Gavriela Anagnostopoulou, CEO of Envolve Entrepreneurship.
During the discussion, successful examples and smart practices were presented that can contribute to improving the efficiency of agri-food businesses.
The “AgroAnelixi – Farmers of the Future” accelerator has been implemented for the 5th consecutive year by New Agriculture New Generation through the founding donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) and with the support of businesses from the broader agri-food ecosystem, as well as institutional bodies of local governance.
The program is aimed at cooperatives, processing units and businesses, producer groups, farmers, livestock breeders, beekeepers, and small-scale agri-food enterprises that process or wish to process their production, with the goal of creating new differentiated products or improving existing ones.
Applications for the 2025 cycle will open soon.
Networking events provide accelerator participants from all previous years with the opportunity to connect, discuss critical issues related to the development of the agricultural sector, and explore the importance of innovation in agricultural production. Additionally, participants exchanged knowledge and experiences, creating new opportunities for collaboration and growth.
